We are all being taught by God. Jesus cited that in one of the lessons from John's gospel we have heard on the last four Sundays. We have been taught. We have learned. Today we have the final exam. The gospel poses a number of questions. They seem to be rhetorical, asked simply for effect. No answer seems to be expected. But how successful would a student be who, seeing his final examination, looks up and says to the instructor, "I assume all these questions are rhetorical"?

Are you ready? Give answers to the following questions. The first is raised by some in the crowd of followers around Jesus. They may have been among those who, like us, have been with Jesus since he first distributed the bread and fish to the thousands. With them we have learned that Jesus is the prophet greater than …